Rutgers AD wants to create 'Disney World experience' at games

As Rutgers prepares to officially join the Big Ten in less than a month, athletic director Julie Hermann is channeling an attraction in ACC and SEC country that she wants her football team's gameday experience to mimic.

Specifically, it's Disney World.

"What I can promise you, one of the things we're working on most, is when you come see us at ball games, starting with High Point Solutions Stadium, you have a world-class, Disney World experience," Hermann said at a Big R Tour stop last week via NJ.com. "That's important to us."

While a focus on the fan experience makes sense, Disney World obviously isn't the best comparison. It's known for people in costumes, rides and parades. Rutgers sports should be known for, well, sports. Right now, Rutgers athletics is known for ridiculousness.

Rutgers is switching conferences because of its proximity to New York City. There's no denying it. For the Big Ten experience to pay off immediately, Rutgers needs to be competitive, or at the very least, the school needs to not bring any negative attention to itself for a year or two. At this point, both things are easier said than done, but Rutgers should give it a good shot.